Slack-adjuster.



W. H. SAUVAGE.

SLACK ADJUSTER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25. 91s.

Patented May 29, 191?,

truck it is of course to We our assassin mor A i-enemies, Jenner To all whom it may concern:

Be it known l, WiLnnrAir vAcE, a citizen of the Unite dent ofFlushing, in the county of Queens and State of New York have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Black Adjusters, i which the following is e ificetion.

This invention relates to slack for the brake rigging of railway the like, and in its more intcnse'aspect to various types of holding means assccieted more particularly with the) sh her for talc ing up and holding the slack clue to weer of the parts or the riggin "While the invention will hereinafter he described more particularly with regard to its relation and application to a railway he understood that it may he transferred bodilyfland used in other relations such for example, as be tween the live and dead levers of the foundation brake rigging beneath the car.

One of the objects ofthe present lDVBIk' tion is to provide an eiiicient and reliable holding device for slack adjusters which will be simple in construction and practical in its operation. Another object is to provide a mechanism of the above general character adapted permanently to hold the excess slack of the brake due to wear of'the parts and to insure a predeterinined piston travel at all times. A further object is to provide a mechanism or" the above general character having :Eew parts which will be cheap to manufacture and install. A further object is to provide improved holding devices which may be easily and quicklyreleased when des red to permit return of the parts to their original positions.

Other objects will he in part obvious from the annexed drawings, and in part indi cated in connection therewith by the fellows ing analysis of this invention.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, in combination. or parts in the unique relations oi the menihers and in the relative proportioning and disposition thereof; all as more completely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art to comprehend the underlying features thereoi that they may embody the some by the numerous modilicstions in structure so fully motes, and re'sirelation 1 contemplated by this inve drawings depicting e preierred form h been annexed as a part or" this disclosni in such drawings, like characteEr-s of i erence denote corresgonding perts out ll the views, or whichz-- igire 1' is a detail plan view of such parts of a slack adjuster mechanism as e necessery to understand the present illvLlw tion, certain parts being shown broken neierring now to the drawings in detail and more particularly toFig. 1, ll) denotes adead lev w ich may he applied to the hralre rigging of truck or to thefounclation brake der beneath the oer, and 11 denotes a cooperating live lever located at the opposite side of the truck. The corresponding ends of theselevers are connected by a push-liar telescopic members, consisting of a hollow casting" l2 pivotally connected with the dead lever 10 and an interfitting push rod ich may he square in cross. section simigging adjacent the power cylin which in the present instance comprises two larly connected to the corresponding end oi live lever 11. These parts in the form shown are adapted to telescope one within another and be a the wear of the brake rigging takes place.

An automatic adjusting rod 14 passes through openings or holes in logs l5. preferahly cast integral withthe member 12 closely adjacent a housing 16 carrying one or more spring .liolding dogs 17.. This housing is preferably open on its underside as shown in l to adniit the'insertion of the dogs and associated parts. Une end of this adjusting rod 14. pivotally connected at 18to the live lever 11 near the ooint where the brake beams would be attached if the mechanism applied to the truck brake riggin A device of this character operates suhsantially as follows: As the power" is applied, the power end of the live lever 11 radually pulled apart v moves toward the right, causing a reaction acting intervening friction clamp gripping the'adjusting rod 14, a relative slipping spring 24, Fig. 2, that will take place between the clamp 20 and the adjusting-rod 14 an amount exactly equal to the wear of the parts.

On release of the power the brakes tend to return to normal position since the friction between the clamp 20 which may be in the form of a split ring and the adjusting rod is sufficient to hold against slipping, the point 18 will act as a fulcrum, and when the live lever returns to full normal position it will cause a relative extension of the parts 12 and 13. The rod 13 is free to move outwardly with respect to the dogs 17 cooperating be tween the effective ends of the parts 12 and 13 but these dogs will positively prevent an inward movement of the part 13 due to their peculiar toggle action thereon, as will now be explained.

Thus having described broadly one application of the called to Fig. 2 showing the dogs 17 grip- ,ping the upper and lower surfaces of a square push rod. These dogs 17 are pivotally supported at 22 from the lower ends of rectangular links 23, the opposite ends of which coact with recesses in the housing 16. A spiral spring 24 normally holds these dogs in operative position to bear with suliicient friction upon the surfaces of thepush rod 13 to bite thereinto when application of the brakes take'splace. It will be noted that the surfaces of the holding dogs 17 engaging the part 13 are roughened or provided with teeth, thereby to coact more elliciently with the push rod.

In Fig. 3, there is shown a slight modification in which the genera? strinlure and operation are substantially the same as that ready described. The housing 16, is provided with a pailof wedge-shaped dogs 25 having concaved under surfaces adapted to closely fit around push rod 13 which dogs may also be serrated as shown in Fig. 4. It is, of course, to be understood that should this push rod be made square the surfaces of the Wedge holding dogs would be modified accordingly; A spring 26 is so located to perform substantially the same function as is, to hold the dogs in frictional engagement with the rod, 13.

These dogs are preferably provided with lateral pins or the like extending through slots (not shown) in the housing whereby they may be actuated by any desired mechanism to release their hold on rod 13 as when returning the parts to normal position.

In Fig. 5, there is shown another modifipresent invention, attention is cation somewhat similar to Fig. 1, in which "the holding dogs 17 are dispensedwith and the links 30 corresponding to links 23 in Fig. 1 are provided with serrated lower edges and shaped to conform to the periphery of the holding rod. The sprin 24: operates in the same manner to per orm the same function.

It is, of course, to be understood that in all of these modifications means are provided for releasing the dogs'to permit an inward movement of the push rod 13 as when restoring the parts to normal position and applying new brake shoes. Any form of mechanism may be employed for example, a projecting lever 31 coacting at its inner end with links 23 or 30, Figs. 1 and 5 respectively to move the dogs against the action of the spring 24 and release their hold upon the rod 13. These levers which only require pressing together are preferably operated from the side of the truck in order to avoid lent parts ofthe brake rigging. The mechaw nisms comprise few parts which are cheap to manufacture and install, and in short, the invention is believed to others, forth.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, fromthe standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

l'claim:

1. In slack adjuster mechanism for brake rigging, in combination, a holding device adapted to be interposed between the effective ends of a two-part push rod comprising members adapted to engage substantially opposite sides of one part of the push rod and have a gripping action therewith when the brakes are applied.

2. In slack adjuster mechanism for brake dragging, in combination, supporting mem- Jet's, an intervening telescopic connection ihcrebctwecn, and holding means carried by one and engaging the other adapted to prevent relative movement on application of the brakes, said means comprising a housmg on the outer telescopic member, dogs therein engaging the inner telescopic memall of the objects and advantages set accomplish, among others can by applyingrurrent r se-noel her, said clogs adapted to have s gripping action between the Walls of the housing and the inner telescopic member as the brakes are applied, v

In slack scljuster mechanism for brake rigging, in combination, live and (lead levers, plural part intervening telescopic connection, and holding means carried by 'one par: and engaging another adopted to prevenfi relative movement on application of brakes, said connection comprising an enlarged housing cast on theouter one of the telescopic members, and holding dogs within said housing adapted to engage the sides of the inner telescopic members.

In slack adjuster mechanism for brake rigging, in combination, live and (lead levers, an neccion, port of o zher intervening two-port telescopic conen l holding means carried one said connection and engaging the adopted to prevent relative movement olioetion of the brakes, said connection comprising an enlarged housing on the enter one of the telescopicmembers, and holding dogs with said housing having roughened. surfaces adapted to engage the inner telescopic member, and links connected with said holding (logs occupying an angular relation to each other adapted to have a toggle action upon the inner telescopic member as h brakes are applied.

Irfsleck adjuster mechanism for brake rigging, in combination, live and dead leinner telescopic members, and for;

holding said members in close engagement- With the inner telescopic member.

. 6. In slack adjuster mechanism for brake rigging, in combination, e two-pare selescopic push rod, and holding means carried by one pm and engaging the oiher adapted to prevent relative movement on application oi. the brakes, said means comprising e housing on the outer one of said telescopic members, iolding means within said housing having roughenecl surfaces adopted to engage inner telescopic members, e spring for holding said holding means in close engagement with the inner telescopic member, and means Without the housing adapted to release said holding means from heir engagement with said. inner member against the action of said spring.

Signed at New York in the county of New Yorlr and State of New York this 16th day of December A. D. 1915.

- vVlLLlAI /l H. SA JVAG 

